To SEARCH for INDIVIDUALS
Open EDIT menu on toolbar. Left click on FIND on THIS PAGE. On FIND screen tick ONE WORD ONLY box. Enter the name of a person. Left click on NEXT. Screen will automatically scroll to the first time a person of that name is shown and will highlight it. If that is not the person you are looking for, click NEXT again and it will move to the next place that name is shown. Always remember this is an EXACT search engine. If the data base uses a middle initial or name, it will not bring it up unless that is the way you have asked for the name. 4. JOHANNES (JOHN)4 FRETZ (CANADA JOHN) (HANS (JOHN)3, JOHANNES2,
JOHANNES1) (#156) was born in Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co. Pa. 25 March 1730.
JOHANNES died 4 May 1826 in Clinton Twp., Lincoln Co., ON, at age 96. His body was
interred after 4 May 1826 Old Mennonite Cem. (Moyer) Vin, Ont.. He married MARIA (MARY) CULP 1754 in Deep Run, Bedminster Twp. Bucks Co., Pa..
(MARIA (MARY) CULP is #157.) MARIA was born 10 September 1730 in Deep Run,
Bedminster Twp. Bucks Co., Pa.. MARIA was the daughter of DIELMAN (TILMAN) KOLB and
JUDITH. MARIA died 7 March 1810 in Clinton Twp., Lincoln Co., ON, at age 79. Her body was
interred after 7 March 1810 Old Mennonite Cem. (Moyer) Vin, Ont.. John's father, John (Hans) (Weaver) Fretz Sr. purchased 230 acres of land in 1738. It
was in Bedminster Township, Bucks County Pa. and located on the north side of Bedminster
Road (now called Highway 113). It was between Rolling Hills Road and Deer Run Road. John
(Canada) Fretz was living there when he married Mary Kolb in 1754. She was the daughter if
Dielman Kolb and Judith. Dielman Kolb was leasing 150 acres in Bedminster Township on the
east side of Keeler's Church Road and south of Deep Run road. It was about 2 miles from the
Fretz farm and across the road from the Deep run Mennonite Meeting House and Burying
Ground where John Fretz Sr. and his wife Barbara Meyer are buried. Both families belonged to
this congregation and so it is easy to see how John and Mary met. Both John (Canada) Fretz and his father-in-law Dielman Kolb. purchased land at the
same time at London Ferry on the Delaware River in Tinicum Township, Bucks County, Pa. It is
now known as Erwinna. John bought his 188 acres in 1761 from the London Land Company,
who were one of the many land speculating firms in Pennsylvania in the early 18th century.
Unfortunately all these London Land Company deeds were stored in London England and if
they still exist would have to be located there. However I was able to find his precise land from
a land survey made by a local historian, of all the London Land Company sales.. Both the properties of John (Canada) Fretz and Dielman Kolb extended right down to
the Delaware River. In their day a muddy track ran through their properties along the edge of
the river. Today it is paved and not surprisingly called the River Road. The log cabin John
(Canada) Fretz owned in 1761 was owned in 1798 by Arthur Irwin and occupied by Adem
Wagner. It was described in the 1798 Direct Tax as follows. Dwelling 20 feet by 15 feet Log House Other buildings Log Stable 18 feet by 12 feet. 225 acres House Valuation $60 Total Valuation $1,710 After his father-in-law Dielman Kolb died in 1763, John (Canada) Fretz sold his property
on 1 May 1764 for £700 to Abraham Van Middleswartz. This deed is found in Bucks Co. Deed
Book 50 Page 471. In looking for land purchased by John (Canada) Fretz, I soon found he had bought 154
acres and 67 perches from Jacob Stout. This was located on Tohickon Creek which runs
through the northeast corner of Bedminster Township. Actually the creek forms the boundary
between Bedminster and Haycock Township to the north. He paid £400 and this deed is found
in Bucks Co. Deed Book 20 page 369 and was dated 8 October 1765. The earlier history of this land is interesting in itself. 43 acres of it were granted to
Abraham Vastine by Richard and Thomas Penn on behalf of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania on 13 June 1744. However Abraham Vastine did not comply with the conditions of
the warrant so it was transferred to Jacob Stout on 24 June 1752. Jacob had to pay £6 and 13
shillings to cover the cost of the transfer. But he also had to pay rent of half a penny per acre
due annually on 1 March each year. This original patent is found in Pennsylvania Patent Book A
volume 16 page 375. That is where I struck my first bit of luck to help the search.. The Patent Book referred to
Survey Book C page 5 and here I found a little hand drawn sketch locating the property on
Tohickon Creek. This was really good fortune as most of the deeds of that time did not contain
an actual survey. Mostly they described the land in metes and bounds and this was the case
with the deed to John (Canada) Fretz from Jacob Stout. However I had found earlier it was very
helpful to have a computer program which would convert metes and bounds into an actual
survey. I had found such a program called Deedmapper. They also supplied maps of the area
so it was possible to overlay the survey over the map and try to match it to contours of a river or
road. Land boundaries are so irregular in Pennsylvania because William Pen at first allowed
people to go out and survey their land in any location. Naturally these men avoided rocky
places and swamps to take in the best farming land, which created a patchwork quilt
appearance. John (Canada) Fretz wanted to expand his land holdings so he and Tilman Kulp
purchased 120 acres from Jacob Kulp on 2 September 1767. The deed was recorded on 5
October 1767 in Bucks Co. Deed Book 12 page 11 and this land cost them £125. Both Tilman
and Jacob Kulp were brothers-in-law of John (Canada) Fretz. They were the brothers of his wife
Mary Kolb but they spelled their name Kulp instead of Kolb in this document. The land was
described as being in Nockamixon Township which makes it seem far away from John's other
land. However this is not the case as the 3 townships of Bedminster, Haycock and Nockamixon
all come together at Tohickon Creek right where John (Canada) Fretz had his grist mill.. So I
am sure it was adjacent to the land he bought from Jacob Stout... Then on 1 December 1775 John (Canada) Fretz purchased two and a half acres from
his brother Jacob Fretz and wife Magdalena. This brother owned land on the south side of
Tohickon Creek and it was probably bought to improve the mill race. This deed is found in
Bucks Co. Deed Book 18 page 134 recorded 7 March 1776. The very next day John (Canada) Fretz sold 48 acres of his original purchase to his
brother Christian Fretz Jr. for £400. This meant he made a large profit as you will remember he
only paid £400 for his whole 154 acres. Of course that was 10 years earlier. Found in Bucks
Co. Deed Book 18 page 136. Then on 7 May 1785 two strange transactions took place which I can't explain. I don't
know which transaction came first as they are both recorded in Bucks Co. Deed Book 20
starting on page 367. So I will begin with the one on that page. Phillip Nice and his wife
Elizabeth sold to John (Canada) Fretz 152 acres in Haycock Township for £1,000. As usual it
covered "all the buildings, fences, improvements, ways, woods, waters, water courses, rights,
hereditaments and appurtenances". This was a fairly common clause in most deeds of that era.
But the unexplainable part comes when we see that on the same day John (Canada)
Fretz and his wife Mary, sold back to Philip Nice only 92 acres but still for £1,000. What caused
this maneuver I guess we will never know but we do know it was adjacent to the original
property and mill John (Canada) Fretz purchased on Tohickon Creek. This was found in Bucks
Co. Deed Book 20 page 378 dated 7 May 1785. The grist mill purchased by John (Canada) Fretz with the first property is credited with
being the first mill built in Bedminster Township, Bucks County. It was originally built by Andrew
Godschalk as shown in the History of Bedminster Township published in 1976. Armed with my computerized survey, a modern road map and a map from the Bucks
Historical Atlas of 1876, I started my search for the exact location of the land and mill. I began
on the south side of Tohickon Creek because of the description on the original sketch in the
warrant. I then drove to the north side because of the Haycock and Nockamixon descriptions in
the other later deeds. But all these roads ended up at Nockamixon Lake which is now a
recreational park. In fact on some of the roads the pavement ran right down into the water. So I started to knock on doors in neighbouring houses and learned that a dam had been
built on the Tohickon Creek in the 1950s. When the reservoir filled up it formed Nockamixon
Lake. I located some elderly people who lived there at the time and they confirmed that the
walls of both the house and mill belonging to John (Canada) Fretz had been knocked down so
they would not create a hazard in the lake for boaters. The lake is about 50 feet deep in the
centre. The location they indicated in the lake matched exactly to the little original sketch and to
my computerized survey made from the metes and bounds description in the deed. So I finally
stood on the edge of the lake and tried to picture the John Fretz grist mill and house as it would
have appeared in 1765. Of assistance in visualizing these buildings is the description given in the 1798 tax
records. In that year Pennsylvania imposed a Direct Tax but usually it was known as the
Window Tax. They assessed people by how many panes of glass they had in their windows as
well as the size of the house. By this date the mill and house were owned by Jacob Crout. Dwelling 45 feet by 28 feet. Stone house 2 storey Stone and frame barn 50 feet by 28 feet. Stone grist mill 40 feet by 28 feet. 270 acres House valuation $750 Total valuation $4,550 The 1791 tax records for Bedminster Township, Bucks County show JOHN FRETZ
farming on 225 acres assessed for taxation at $258. He had 3 horses valued at $20 total and 5
cattle valued at $15.00 total. There were no taxation records taken in 1792 and some of the
1793 records have not survived. But by 1794 we find JOHN FRETZ farming in Hilltown
Township, Bucks County, on 100 acres with an assessed value of $300. He has 2 horses
assessed at $24 and 5 cattle assessed at $20. This remains very much the same through the
tax assessments of 1796, 1797, 1798 and 1799, the year before they all left for Canada. His
son Manasseh and his brother Abraham had also purchased property in Hilltown Township. This discovery about John Fretz moving from Bedminster Township to Hilltown
Township solved the mystery of how Michael Rittenhouse met and married Dinah Fretz. Michael
had come up from his birthplace in Roxborough Township, Philadelphia County to Hilltown
Township, Bucks County, about 1791 or 1792. He is shown in the tax records for Hilltown
assessed for 1 horse and 2 cattle but no land. He must have been boarding with someone and
it could have been the Fretz family. From the Fretz Family History volume #1 we know Michael
and Dinah were married on 11 June 1793 but we don't know the location. The John Fretz farm
was very near the Blooming Glen Mennonite Meeting House but it was not the custom of the
time to be married in the Meeting House. Most often young people were married by the pastor
in a private home and unfortunately most of the pastors did not keep marriage records. Often
the young people of Mennonite faith were married by the Lutheran or German Reform ministers
in their churches. So we may never know the exact location of their wedding. As mentioned in connection with the mill of John Fretz, Pennsylvania imposed a Direct
Tax in 1798 but usually it was known as the Window Tax. They assessed people by how many
panes of glass they had in their windows as well as the size of the house. Luckily for us the
records for Hilltown have survived so we can picture the house and farm of John Fretz in 1798. Dwelling 30 x 20 squared log hose 1 storey Outhouses None Other buildings 34 x 24 old log barn Acreage 100 acres House valuation $125 Total valuation $1544 Neighbours David High and Widow Creamer JOHN FRETZ, (CANADA JOHN), emigrated to Canada in 1800 with his wife MARY
KOLB and 5 of their children. The other children stayed in Bedminster Township, Bucks County.
Their oldest son Manasseh and his wife travelled with them and they had 8 children. By this
time JOHN FRETZ was 70 years old but the Mennonite families already in the area needed a
minister and they prevailed on him to go. He was chosen Deacon in 1801 at what was known
as Moyer's Church at "The Twenty" so he became the first Deacon of the Mennonite Church in
Canada. The first log building erected for a Meeting House was on the Jacob Moyer farm which
was adjoining the Burying Ground. It was to be used as a school as well and Samuel Moyer
was the first school teacher. Confirming the above arrival date is a page in Deacon Philip Wismer's note book which
shows the arrival in 1800 at "The Twenty". It also shows on the same list for the same time the
arrival of Laurence Hipple, Abraham Grobb and Michael Rittenhouse. These three were all
sons-in-law of John Fretz so it appears they all travelled together with their wives and children. Shortly after arriving in Canada John purchased 300 acres but it was not registered until
23 May 1805. Instruments # 814 and 815. Lincoln County Deed Book. It consisted of lots 5, 6
and 7 Concession 3, Clinton Township, Lincoln County. When John's wife Mary Kolb died in
1810 he deeded the property to his 3 sons-in-law. 100 acres to MICHAEL RITTENHOUSE (wife was Dinah Fretz) Lot 5 instrument # 4024 100 acres to LAURENCE HIPPLE (wife was Sarah Fretz) Lot 6 instrument # 4026. 100 acres to ABRAHAM GROBB JR. (wife was Elizabeth Fretz) Lot 7 instrument #
4025. Copies of all of these deeds are in my files. JOHN FRETZ, had his house on Lot 6 which went to Laurence Hipple. In 1994 the old
wooden frame house is still there although the original log house is gone. The frame house is
behind the large stone house built in the mid 1800s by Hipple descendants and later Hipple
descendants are still living there. The little old frame house is being used as a storage shed
and is in very poor condition. It is possible to still see the tiny window by the front entrance
which in a Mennonite home was there to allow the spirit of someone who had died to escape. It
was called a "soul window' In my files are photographs taken in 1994 and also historic and
modern maps showing the location of the property. JOHN FRETZ, and his wife MARY KOLB are both buried in the Mennonite Burying
Ground in Vineland, Ontario. Their burials are in the old original part of the cemetery which is
enclosed by a stone wall. Their plots are in row S graves # 2 and 3. Photographs are in my file
of the gravestones and cemetery taken in 1994. SOURCE of INFORMATION 30,000 NAMES OF IMMIGRANTS TO PENNSYLVANIA by I. Daniel Rupp published in
1876. Copy of this book is in the Orlando Library, Orlando, Florida. Copy of pertinent pages are
in my file. JOHN AND CHRISTIAN FRETZ by Rev. A. F. FRETZ published in 1890. THE DIRECT TAX OF 1798 covering 12 townships in upper Bucks County, Pa.
Published in 1994 ONTARIO FRAKTUR by Michael S. Bird published in 1977. This book shows the page
from Deacon Philip Wismer's note book mentioned above. BUCKS COUNTY TAX RECORDS 1693-1778. Compiled by Terry A .McNealy and
Francis Wise Waite. BUCKS COUNTY TAX RECORDS 1790-1799 Held by Bucks County Historical
Society, Spruance Library, Doylestown, Pa. JOHANNES (JOHN) FRETZ (CANADA JOHN) and MARIA (MARY) CULP had the
following children: 7 i. MANASSEH5 was born 22 March 1755 8 ii. BARBARA was born 22 May 1756 iii. ABRAHAM (#395) was born in Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co. Pa. 3 February
1758. iv. EPHRAIM (#396) was born in Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co. Pa. 18 August
1760. EPHRAIM died young in Bucks County. Pa. USA, at age unknown. 9 v. JUDITH was born 27 October 1761 vi. MOSES (#398) was born in Tinicum Twp, Bucks Co. Pa. USA. 23 December
1763. MOSES died 04 October 1843 in Clinton Twp., Lincoln Co., ON, at age
79. His body was interred after 04 October 1843 Old Mennonite Cem.
(Moyer) Vin, Ont.. He married SUSANNAH HUNSBERGER date unknown.
(SUSANNAH HUNSBERGER is #42483.) SUSANNAH died 1831 at age
unknown. vii. ANNA (#399) was born in Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co. Pa. 1765. ANNA died
young in Bucks County. Pa. USA, at age unknown. 10 viii. DINAH was born 30 May 1768 11 ix. SARAH was born 26 December 1771 12 x. ELIZABETH was born 13 October 1774 5. CHRISTIAN4 FRETZ (HANS (JOHN)3, JOHANNES2, JOHANNES1) (#408) was born in
Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co. Pa. 1734. CHRISTIAN died 01 May 1803 in Plumstead Twp, Bucks
Co. Pa., at age 68. He married BARBARA OBERHOLTZER 1757. (BARBARA OBERHOLTZER is #1281.)
BARBARA was born 10 November 1737 in Bucks County. Pa. USA. BARBARA was the daughter
of MARTIN OBERHOLTZER and AGNES KOLB. BARBARA died 8 May 1823 in Bucks County.
Pa. USA, at age 85. CHRISTIAN FRETZ and BARBARA OBERHOLTZER had the following children: i. CHRISTIAN5 (#54025) was born in Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co. Pa.. ii. JOHN (#54026) was born in Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co. Pa. 24 May 1758.
He married ANNA KRATZ date unknown. (ANNA KRATZ is #54027.) iii. AGNES (#54028) was born in Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co. Pa. 13 September
1759. She married ABRAHAM BEWIGHOUSE date unknown. (ABRAHAM
BEWIGHOUSE is #54029.) iv. JOSEPH (#54030) was born in Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co. Pa. 9 May 1761.
He married MARIA KROUT date unknown. (MARIA KROUT is #54031.) 13 v. HENRY was born 17 February 1763 14 vi. MARTIN OBERHOLTZER was born 9 August 1764 vii. JACOB (#54033) was born in Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co. Pa. 1 January
1767. viii. ABRAHAM (#54034) was born in Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co. Pa. 30 March
1769. ix. ISAAC (#54035) was born in Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co. Pa. 12 February
1771. 16 xi. MARY was born 15 May 1777 xii. ELIZABETH (#54037) was born in Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co. Pa. 20
October 1780. ELIZABETH died 29 February 1828 at age 47. She married
ABRAHAM MEYER date unknown. (ABRAHAM MEYER is #54038.)
ABRAHAM was born 21 April 1784. 6. ELIZABETH4 FRETZ (HANS (JOHN)3, JOHANNES2, JOHANNES1) (#410) was born in
Bedminster Twp., Bucks Co. Pa. 19 July 1739. ELIZABETH died circa 1804 in Hilltown Twp. Bucks
Co. Pa., at age unknown. She married JACOB KOLB 22 May 1760. (JACOB KOLB is #42462.) JACOB was born 16
April 1737 in Gwynedd Twp. Montgomery Co. Pa.. JACOB was the son of ISAAC (STRONG) VAN
SINTERN KOLB BISHOP and GEERTRAUTA ZIEGLER. JACOB died May 1816 in Hilltown Twp.
Bucks Co. Pa., at age 79. ELIZABETH FRETZ and JACOB KOLB had the following children: 17 i. ISAAC5 was born 3 March 1762 18 ii. JOHN was born 6 September 1764 iii. GERTRUDE (#54193) was born in Bucks County. Pa. USA 8 February 1767.
She married JACOB HUNSBERGER date unknown. (JACOB
HUNSBERGER is #54194.) 19 iv. JACOB was born 29 April 1769 20 v. ABRAHAM was born 19 April 1771 21 vi. DIELMAN was born 23 July 1773 22 vii. HENRY was born 28 July 1776 viii. ELIZABETH (#54199) was born in Bucks County. Pa. USA 1 December 1778. ix. BARBARA (#54200) was born in Bucks County. Pa. USA 4 May 1781.
BARBARA died 26 June 1783 in Bucks County. Pa. USA, at age 2. 23 x. CATHARINE was born 14 November 1783 DIRECT E-MAIL LINK to (MRS.) PAT HIGH
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